[Binding of drugs to artificial plasma substitutes]

The binding of different drugs to plasma proteins as well as the binding to other structures (e.g. dialysis membranes, i.v. delivery sets) is well documented and of therapeutic importance. Colloid solutions of macromolecules are widely used as plasma substitutes and plasma expanders. A possible binding of drugs to these macromolecules was investigated by means of equilibrium dialysis. Benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, cardiac glycosides, local anesthetics, non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, glibenclamide, phenobarbitone and phenprocoumon (10(-7) in 50 mM tris buffer, pH 7.4) were dialyzed against tris buffer diluted (1:5) commercially available plasma substitutes consisting of hydroxyethyl starch (HES), dextran, gelatine and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Binding to plasma substitutes was observed with the highest values for penbutolol and oxypolygelatine (41%), digitoxin and HES 200 (35%), phenprocoumon and PVP (43%). It is concluded that the binding of drugs to plasma substitutes is in most cases negligible and not of clinical relevance. Since some drugs seem to bind to some extent to different macromolecules this should be borne in mind and could be of some influence e.g. in perfusion experiments with isolated organs.